Bent Spokes
by RocknRollZombie
Summary: David's first memory is being pushed into a piano bench by Mark.


The first earliest Memory Kevin has is when he's three, his parents are talking to some friends of theirs who came to visit his Aunt. His Aunt Maggie is holding his brother, Mark his older brother. Kevin knows that Mark is older than him, so he does what Mark tells him. He doesn't expect to be pushed into a bench by Mark. Tears prick the corner of his eyes as he bangs his fists on the inside of it. He hears his parents yelling at Mark a few moments later. He sniffles as his parents look him over as his Aunt scolds Mark who just glares at him.

Trips in the summer aren't a usual thing for his family, His dad's old beat up car sounds like it's ready to pass on any minute. His mother was the one who insisted on this trip, to do something fun as a family. While he hears Mark scoff when their mother says "fun as a family", his brother keeps quite most of time when they go on car rides. Mark talks back to their parents more now that their older. He's six, he likes scribbling and making pictures with the little crayons that he has stashed away in a shoe box that his aunt gave him, and some that Mark threw at him one day when his brother was moody. Mark on the other hand is going through a rebel phase as his aunt calls it.

He's 10 when he has his first crush it's a girl from his class who likes his drawings. He set his mind on drawing her something for the class valentine party that his teacher said they can have. He feels his face turn red from anger as he watches the drawing that he worked on go up in flames. Mark is standing their with a lighter in his hand, and a smirk on his face as his older brother stomps on the burnt remains. He throws a marker at Mark who then chases him outside,and tackles him to the ground. He's also 10 when he learns about what makes his brother so angry. He closes his eyes waiting for the pain, but he sees Mark standing over him instead, that's when he notices the angry looking red spot peeking out of Mark's shirt.

He knows that Mark gets into fights at school, his brother has a quick temper. He usually comes home with scrapes on his knuckles, or a black eye. But he knows that there's something different with that angry red spot on his brother. He knows that his parents yell alot at Mark, and Mark yells back just as loud at their parents. He ask his Aunt Maggie about it when she comes over who tells him that she'll help him make a new drawing for his crush. He notices Mark glaring at the front door as their Aunt checks the bruise, afterwards his aunt tells him to go up stairs as his parents walk through the front door. That night he stays awake listening to his parents, and Aunt yelling at each other, he hides his face underneath his covers as the door opens. It's Mark now sporting a bruise that's forming beneath his eye. Kevin keeps his mouth shut as Mark nudges him to scoot over, he doesn't say anything as his covers are taken away from him by his older brother. He pokes Mark's back,

"What?" Mark whisper harshly at him

"Are you going to cry? Aunt Maggie says it okay for us to cry that we don't have to listen to everything dad says." He blurts out as Mark stares him dead in the eyes. His brother's blue eyes bore into his eyes. Mark grumbles, "shut up," at him before turning,and falling asleep.

Kevin stared at his bicycle, the spokes of his front wheel were bent. He wanted to be mad, but he knew it would only be worse for him. Mark would just glare at him like always, or threaten to beat him up. He didn't understand why his older brother hates him still. He thinks maybe it has to do with their parents,there's no bruises appearing anymore hasn't been any since their aunt threatened to take them away,but the yelling is still a daily basis routine between his parents, and Mark. He thinks that things will change for him, and Mark now that their parents attention would be on their sisters instead of them. But that doesn't happen Mark never stays long enough in the house anyway. He always hears his dad arguing with Mark, their mom is worse he hears his mother yelling at Mark,and Mark yells back telling her to hit him so their Aunt Maggie can see, so that they can have a better life.

The slamming of doors has become a familiar sound, weather it be his mother coming home drunk from who knows where. His dad tired from working,and frustrated at their home life. Or Mark just mad as usual slams the front door close when asked by their parents where he's been. Kevin knows where Mark's been when not at home, his brother smells of smoke, cigarette smoke, or beer sometimes. He asked Mark once why he does that why he drinks, and smokes, the reply was a "shut up, you don't know anything. So keep your mouth shut from telling Barbara" his brother calls their mom by her name with poison in his voice. He wonders if Mark loves anything, or knows how to show affection. His brother is 14, and already does things behind their parents back. He's 11, and wants to avoid his older brother completely, that why when it comes to the both him, and Mark being home at the same time he goes up stairs, stays in the girls room keeping an eye on them while Mark is blaring some rock band.

He doesn't say anything to Mark, if he tells Mark to put the volume down. Mark will glare at him, and slam the door in his face. He sketches animals for Lisa, and nicki who don't understand his more complex drawings, but they like animals a lot especially dogs, and bunnies.

The first glimpse he has of Mark looking happy since his brother was kicked out three years ago by their parents. Is when Mark comes over one night to drop off a late birthday present for the girls. By his brother side is a short haired blonde, who looks at his brother with loving eyes. He learns that her name is Becky since Mark grumbles under his breath that Lisa, and Nicki should be thanking her instead of him for the present. Him, and Mark just share a look as Mark smirks, waves his hand and says to him, "see ya little brother" He stares at Mark's back as his brother entwines his hand with that Becky girl as they walk out the front door. He glances at what Mark got for their little sisters, a coloring book. It's more than him, and Mark ever got for their birthdays.

He goes over to Mark's apartment to talk about their younger sisters since the fights between their parents is getting worse he could have sworn he has heard his father mutter divorce once, or 's red in the face as he takes in both Mark, and Becky's appearance. Mark is shirtless, in his boxers and his hair looking more unruly then usual. Becky is wide eyed as she's standing behind Mark wearing Mark's shirt before she runs in the bathroom, and closes the door. He opens his mouth to say something, but he stutters over what he has going to say. The door is slammed in his face.

He's not stupid, he knows what Mark and Becky were obviously doing. Thanks to that health class that's required, and that really awkward talk his dad once gave him, and Mark. once Mark started dating. But he honestly wonders if Mark was a virgin before he was kicked out. He knows that Mark had a girlfriend, or two before Becky. But he knows that Mark wouldn't be looking flushed if he wasn't a virgin when he stared at him when he opened the door. His brother is cool, and confident never has he seen Mark looking that embarrassed before.

He stands outside with Mark in front of Becky's house. Mark's grumpy a frown on his face as he watches Mark pace back, and forth on the porch. It's not his fault that his brother is late to his date, okay maybe a bit, but that's mostly on their parents. Mark came over grumbling about how Becky's going to be mad at him. He caught wind that Mark was dropping out of high school. His mother screamed at him to call Mark to tell him to come over. He has been to his brother's apartment when home becomes to much for him the fights about separating becoming more frequent. Mark told him that he can come over whenever he needed to get away from Barbara.

The door opens as a kid stands in front of them, Mark calls the kid jerkweed, while Becky stands behind the young boy who he's going to be babysitting he learns as Mark explains to Becky in a tone that he never heard before from Mark. He stands awkwardly to the side, as he watches Mark, and Becky kiss. His brother holding the blonde gently, while Becky smiles before turning towards him. He blinks as Becky holds three dollars in front of him,

"It's all I have right now, if you watch DJ for me. We'll probably be back before my parents make it back from their white trash bowling night. So nobody has to get in trouble." Becky finishes while shooting DJ a look to which he notices DJ is smiling at him. He looks over at Mark who nuzzles the blonde, a natural smile on his brother's face before Mark smirks and glares at him. That glare promising a beating if he says something wrong. He pockets the three dollars with a shrug of his shoulders as Mark, and Becky walk down the steps.

The couples hand intertwined as he notices Mark more laid back attitude with Becky. He watches Mark's truck pull away, he turns towards the door as he grumbles under his breath that he had better things to do. He wonders how much of an impression Mark has made on the conners as he's hauled by his jacket out the front door by . But as he's pulled outside he can't help but keep his focus on Darlene.

He does something he never expected to do a week after he meet Darlene. He thanks Mark, who just stares at him, narrows his eyes, and awkwardly ask him if he hit his head, or something. He shakes his head as he takes the soda can from Mark, and sits on the couch. He notices there's a fake id hidden underneath the pile of motorcycles magazines that Mark has strewn across the table. He doesn't say anything as Mark pushes the leather jacket into his hands, and tells him not to get it dirty, or ruin it cause there will be hell to pay.

He brings back the leather jacket later that week since his mom asked him where he got it , and once she learned from whom she yelled at him to take it back. He can't help but notice the feisty yet caring attitude that Darlene has. The things that they have in common. He wants to be more than friends with her, but he doesn't know want to do.

Once they start dating he notices that certain things he does annoy her. Like him hovering around her during all time of day in school, holding her hand. He wonders as he sits on Mark's couch his brother is cleaning his hands of any grease stains.

"Isn't that what normal couples do?" he ponders out loud.

"What?"

he looks over Mark is staring at him with an raised eyebrow.

David swallows as he opens up to Mark for the first time. Since Mark is drinking he knows that Mark probably wouldn't remember any of this the next day.

"Ya know holding hands, and always being around each other" he mumbles while Mark settles besides him beer in hand.

"Listen, Kev...David"

He feels a bit more at easy with the way Mark corrected himself by calling him by his new name.

"..fuck..relationships are different, when it comes to some people. Me, and Becky both had dated before we got together so we know what not to do. I didn't hang around her like some creep in school. We gave each other space."

He sits up, and stares at Mark, " Okay but what about when other guys would be around? You wouldn't get jealous...cause I get jealous when some guys talk….,or try to talk to Darlene.." He trails off as he drums his fingers along the can of soda.

He notices the way Mark's jaw tightens, and the cold sad look in his brothers eyes. He knows that Becky right now is a touchy topic with Mark. They broke up, but what neither of them know is that other ask about one another. Mark has asked if he has heard anything from Darlene if Becky started seeing someone new. And he knows that Becky isn't over Mark, Darlene has complained to him the only thing that Becky has been whining about is if Mark has gone out with anybody else, or what he's been up to.

" I would get jealous, if other guys would talk to her. Glare at them, or ya know threaten to beat em to a pulp when Becky would be in class. …..fuck...I miss her…" he glances out of corner of his eye as Mark pops open another beer.

" I punched her boss because he called her something that pisses me off. Heh, he was scares that I was going to hurt him more. ...Becky called me an idiot for doing that. ...She would ...look so cute when she would be annoyed at parties…."

That night he learns that his older brother isn't as much of a jackass, or a jerk as he thought since they were kids. He listens as Mark mumbles Becky's name over, and over in his sleep, he made sure to hide the keys to the truck from Mark for his own safety. He doesn't want his stupid drunk older brother to get into an accident.

He knows that Mark, and Becky are back together if finding them making out in the driveway of the conner house is anything to go by, as Darlene sneers in disgust, and makes a joke about them while Becky, and Mark send matching glares at Darlene. While he mumbles to Darlene to let them be, and and reminds her that should start working on finishing the rest of the new comic their working on

He knows he should have knocked before he entered Mark's apartment, because the next minute he's embarrassed. He finds Mark, and Becky asleep on the couch. They obviously did the deed, as he takes one glance at the floor, clothes are scattered, Mark is looking at him, his usual glare, but there's a softness in his brother's eyes. He smiles a nervous smile, as he backs out slowly closing the door, and making sure to lock it.

He can't wrap his head around Mark, and Becky's decision to get married so impulsively. Mark calls him to let him know that he made to minnesota fine,and that he eloped. He just stares at the telephone while looking over his shoulder his mother standing behind him. He opens his mouth before his mother demands to know who called. He at the conner house the day that Mark, and Becky dropped by to pick up the rest of Becky's things.

He watches as a series of emotions goes over his mother's face. While Lisa, and Nikki excitedly yell that the nice, smart pretty blonde is their sister now. His father just shakes his head, and mumbles that he hopes for the best for Mark. As Mark stands with his arms crossed over his chest. He's slightly relieved as his parents wish Mark the best. Their mother tries to hug Mark, but Mark immediately steps to the side to ruffle Lisa, and Niki's hair. He knows that the relationship between Mark, and their parents would never be fixed nothing can fix it. He enjoys the last family meal that they have as a complete family in silence no one talks except for the girls who ask Mark questions about Becky.

He watches as Mark, and their father load some of the furniture that his parents are giving to Mark. He takes it to heart as Mark pulls him aside, and tells him to not let their parents especially their mother take the elopement out on them. He can't help but wonder what made Mark, and Becky's relationship work so well. What made his brother change.

Because he sees the way that Mark's eyes would soften when ever he picked Becky up from school yet immediately go back to a glare to glare at the jocks whom picked on him. He tried his hardest to avoid Mark in school, and at home. But it seemed like his brother would always be in his life in some way. And he finds it funny how Mark would try to keep up his tough persona when Becky was around. He grabs a set of pliers, takes out his bicycle to fix the bent spokes on both wheels this time. It was just like Mark to mess with him in some way that's how their brotherly relationship is.


End file.
